Fruit is never the easiest to grate, and while you can purchase imitation flavoring or even freeze-dried zest, fresh is always best. These handheld zesters make it easier to grate citrus peels without dropping the fruit or cutting yourself. While you can use a traditional cheese grater, a zester gives closer and fine results, which are better in the long run.
Deiss PRO Handheld Zester & Cheese Grater
Zest like a pro
This long-shaped zest is easy to maintain control of both the grater and the fruit. It directs zest into a small area rather than spreading it around, which is harder to scoop up and use after zesting The blades of the Deiss PRO zester are made from stainless steel, so they won’t rust. And it can be used to grate cheese, like parmesan, more fine than a traditional cheese grater.
Rachel Ray Multi Stainless Steel Grater
Zest more, faster
The Rachel Ray stainless steel grater has more surface area, so you can zest more of your citrus at once, which is also less time-consuming. The blades are designed to cut through the peels in both directions, so you’ll get good zest results as the fruit is moved up and down them. The handles are soft for keeping a firm grip on the zester.
Microplane Flexi Zesti
Easy clean up
The Flexi Zesti from Microplane is designed to comfortably fit in your hand. As you pass the stainless steel blades across your fruit the zest is collected behind the blade. This makes it easier to use the zest when you’re done grating. The zester comes apart for easy cleaning and comes in several fun colors.
Esie Houzie Citrus Zester and Reamer
All-in-one cooking tool
This zester and reamer help both grate and juice citrus fruits. Many recipes call for both the juice and zest of lemons, limes, or oranges, so the Esie Houzie multi-purpose tool is good to have handy, especially since it cuts down on the number of cooking utensils you need to dirty. Included is a bonus a zester for creating longer peels for decorating.
Nspring Lemon Zester
Stainless steel blades
This handheld zester from Nspring is good for finely grating citrus fruit as well as chocolate, ginger, cheese, and other fine foods. The blades won’t rust because they are made from stainless steel, and the extra grippy handle makes it easy to keep control of both the zester and your food at the same time.
Spring Chef Professional Box Grater and Zester
Do it all
You can use a traditional cheese grater to zest citrus, and this box grater from Spring Chef is the one to get the job done. It stands comfortably on your counter, cutting board to dish to catch grated foods. It has multiple sizes blades around it to ensure a thick or fine grate.
A pinch of this and zest of that
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Adding citrus zest to any recipe is a cinch with the right tool. The Deiss PRO handheld zester is one of the best. It’s easy to hold and the longer design directs zest more easily right into your dish. The blades are made from stainless steel, so there isn’t a risk of rusting over time.
We also like the Microplane Flexi Zesti. This handheld tool is easier to hold because it is designed to fit naturally in your hand. Zest is captured and held inside the zester, so it easier to add to dishes and clean up afterward.